Jordan Assists Bulls` Revival

He Sets Up 15 Baskets To Spark Rout Of Sonics

Or so it seemed Saturday night in the Stadium. The National Basketball Association`s greatest scoring machine this side of Wilt Chamberlain turned playmaker as the Bulls ran past the Seattle SuperSonics 105-88 before a crowd of 18,291 to break a three-game losing streak.

Fans who come to see a Jordan spectacle even more than a Bulls victory may have to settle for the latter-and hopefully they`ll get both-if this game was a new rule rather than the exception.

``I played point a lot,`` said Jordan, who scored just 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting while handing off a season-high 15 assists. ``They were keying on me, so I made them pay for the double and triples. And whatever makes us win makes me happy.``

But what about the slamma-jamma-oh-momma-did-ya-see-that show?

There wasn`t much of that as Bill Cartwright led the Bulls in scoring for the first time this season with 20 points, hitting his twisting jumper along the baseline and getting the most free throw chances he has had in more than two weeks.

``I thought Michael was the focal point of the game,`` said Cartwright, whose eight third-quarter points helped move the Bulls ahead 78-71 against a road-weary Seattle team playing its fourth game in five nights.

``He really showed what a great player he is by going into the backcourt and running the team. He`s tough to cover anytime, but when he`s on top (at point guard) and they try to double-team him, someone is glaringly open.``

Cartwright was among those open Bulls, as was Horace Grant, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and John Paxson, who added 10 points, including six straight midway through the fourth quarter when the Bulls ran away from Seattle.

``They were a tired team,`` noticed Dave Corzine, who took advantage with seven rebounds in 17 minutes. ``They slowed down the stretch (the Sonics had a season-low 36 second-half points) and shot under 40 percent for the game.

``We caught them at a good time. We played well and ran them in the third and fourth quarters.``

Especially Jordan, who missed Wednesday`s loss at Boston after straining his groin Tuesday night. But he said he felt well enough (``about 95 percent``) to play, albeit a little hesitantly.

``I was afraid to cut on it and take it on offense like I wanted to,``

Jordan said. ``So I found myself playing the push man. But we were fast-breaking more, which was something I felt we had to do.

``I felt good, but I was passing off to get us a better shot. That`s really where I got my assists from.``

So trend or exception? Bulls coach Doug Collins was coy.

``We practiced a new transition that made it simple for our guys to get out and run,`` he said.

The Bulls did that well. It`s something that plays to the strengths of their young, athletic players.

It also creates turnovers, which the Bulls had their share of. They committed 10 in the first half but shot 59 percent to lead 56-52 at halftime. Seattle`s Dale Ellis, who would lead all scorers with 26 points, had 19 in the first half. And the Sonics, despite shooting 40 percent, looked to be in good position.

But the Bulls tightened their defense on Ellis while the basket seemed to tighten for the rest of his team.

``They were in control the whole game,`` said Ellis, ``because we couldn`t shoot the ball.``

Try 24 percent in the fourth quarter, which helped make it an easy night for the Bulls, who had five players in double figures. Jordan scored fewer than 20 points for the third time this season, but it was the first time the Bulls won anyway.

Now the question is: Does he need a new nickname if he passes the ball more?